Living Stone
by Resting-Madness
Summary: Konoha's splendid beast has been able to conquer many challenges thrown his way, but he hasn't yet come to terms with his deepest desire. And it may be the thing that defeats him.


Disclaimer: I do not own anything in the realm of Naruto, not their image, character, lifestyle, world. And I don't make money from this work of fiction, Im just a fan of the show and manga.

Commentary: This is a first for me, doing a to-the-show story, I usually do AUs and keep ones like this in my head. So I'm nervous, but I hope you all find something about it that you like and continue reading from here. Thank yous!

Also, I should tell you that I'm trying something different with this. I usually update like the week after posting, but I'm not well- frequent hospital trip unwell- and I need to rest, plus some things are better when you sit on them, right?

...

Naruto stretched his arms up into the air, as he woke for another sunny day; the village is still under heavy repairs after the Great Ninja War ended. He, and the others have been helping out repairing shops, and building homes and its leaving even his energy depleted.

"Rrrraaa!" He shouts when popping up behind the messenger hawk, that's just landed on his terrace.

...Well, maybe he's not _that_ exhausted.

"Ahahaha!" He belly laughs at the spooked creature, climbing back onto his terrace just as the clone inside disappeared. He loves this gag.

With a low, almost offended-toned, _kaw_ in its throat the large primal mail-carrier began pecking violently at the ninjas's head! Naruto swung his arms over his head, dancing from foot to foot to scare the bird away, but that only seemed to fuel the beast's assault. And it drilled the teen's head like a woodpecker, until he sank down onto the wooden deck in defeat.

Snatching the note from the bird's ankle brace, he crawled weakly over to the sliding door. With a dramatically shaking hand, he slides the door open then crawls inside. That's the last time he picks on a messenger hawk from...

"Hey, Gaara wrote me! Alright!" Pawing the envelope open in a flurried hurry, Naruto walks over to his refrigerator to grab a small carton of white milk.

He's been helping from day to night, and back again, with a few breaks to eat. He's gotta rebuild his beloved Konoha with all his heart and energy; because a big job, needs even bigger effort.

Lee and Gaara went off to the chosen location for a village summit meeting. The Kazekage and the other Kages are in the midst of signing this and officializing that.

When Gaara talks about such things sometimes it makes Naruto's head wanna spin. But he always asks, because as a future Kage, he's gonna have to get used to hearing and speaking all of that important language.

Rock Lee went with Gaara as a sort of envoy slash bodyguard, though, none is needed; but then again, all these secret things went on right underneath everyone's noses to have this big mess happen, so really... you just never know.

He isn't surprised to see another letter flutter to the floor, once the letter came to its full extention. Lee often folded a letter of his own into the mix; honestly, he looked forward to Lee's more than Gaara's! Gejimayou really knows how to spin a tale, almost as good as his sensei. It often amazed the young Sage how incredibly different the same contents can come out when its from two people going through the same thing.

Lee could easily sum it up in a few clear sentences like Gaara does, but thank Kage he doesn't. Infact, his letters read pretty much the same, as this current one. For example:

_There will be a United Nations base set up between Konohagakure and Tsuchigakure , so it exists in Kusagakure._

_The meeting was very long and arduous, but Lee and I endured it, and have since gone home to Suna._

_He's his usual energetic-self. Kankurou's constantly betting him that he can't "cool it" for a week with training. Lee lost the bet by challenging himself that he could do it, and that if he couldn't he'd hand-stand walk the village while balancing a jug of sand on his feet. He dozed off somewhere near the end, at which point I brought him home to sleep._

_We've been living simply for the time being. Lee will be home when I no longer need him._

_Your friend, Gaara._

Naruto bobbed his head while warding off knodding-off. Gaara really should take lessons in writing entertaining letters from Lee. He did though feel a bit of redness in his cheeks over that one sorted sentence about Lee coming home, once Gaara is done with him. Not work. But Gaara.

The two of them have been seeing each other so exclusively that no one knew they were together period, until one day it came up that Lee and Gaara were engaged. Talk about a slap in the face! It was announced by Lee during one of their "Yay, another successful mission" get-togethers. After that, they never spoke of it, and probably won't speak of it until the designated day arrives when it will happen.

Naruto's looking forward to that particular note from the big browed Chunin. Lee has a flare that makes the situation come to life. Observe, how he can see Sunagakure pop-up before his very eyes, and he can watch the couple moving about like its a movie, or is watching the pair with his own eyes.

_Narutoooo! The meeting of the great nations was amazing! So many figure-heads coming together to make one important decision after another, until we're all going to be one great nation of unity!_

_Once Gaara and I returned from the meeting, he brought me into his home for dinner- it was very late- and we had mouth watering desert delicasies. Fatayir bi sabanekh, kabsa and more! I stuffed myself greatly; and with the energy I obsorbed exploded into training! There were times when Kankurou-san found himself joining in on observing- as the rest of Suna's inhabitants do- and it resulted in a manly challenge of witts and willpower. Can you believe he bet me to enjoy myself for a week?_

_But he didn't know that I was already enjoying myself, and I met the challenge head-on, but only after assuring myself that if I could not meet his challenge of a weeks fun that I would walk the village on my hands, with a jug of sand balanced on my feet. Brilliance! ...But somehow he considered my words a loss, and I had to walk the village as planned._

_Gaara walked with me, looking over paperwork as he followed. You may not know this, but he looks very handsome in the moonlight; I faltered a few times when he glanced at me to ask that I pause for a moment so I wouldn't hurt myself. Ha! I'm full of youth and ambition I said, such a thing cannot happen to me... Oddly enough, I fell asleep while completeing my challenge because when I awoke from my light snooze... I was in bed._

Naruto chuckled at that, and continued the letter when the tears in his eyes fell away from his vision.

_Things have been quiet, and very comfortable for the time being; Gaara and I have been spending a great deal of time together. Why just today he and I are going to Tea for a light snack..._

Lee hurls a kunai into the air, and quickly breaks into a spring of back-flips until it lands. "Damn it... only fourty." Retrieving the kunai, he then hurls it back into the air and, once again, launches himself into a drill of back-flips.

Gaara didn't know whether or not to smile at the enthusiasm during their comfortable walk to Tea, or grimace over the fact that Lee won't settle down and simply walk beside him... Maybe even hold his hand.

Since the two of them have gotten together, Gaara's felt more... at peace with a lot of things in his life. He'd started his change because of Naruto, and he kept it going with the cooperation of his village. The people, they were all there for him... little by little before his abduction, then completely after his rebirth. That's exactly how he's been living his every day after that.

He's no longer interested in being that loveless monster-in-the-sand. He's experienced more new things emotionally and physically than he ever could in his old existance. He's got friendship, he's got love, and he's got knowledge and skills to give and receive the love without question. His mother... She loved him. His undead father confessed this as a truth Gaara never knew or could have known, and he keeps it dearly with him.

And now his romantic love found in Rock Lee is being brushed aside... for training. Nothing new really, he wants nothing more from the male beyond the knowledge that they're together. But today, he'd like a simple common walk with the energetic green beast.

"Lee."

"80! Yes! And now to try for a hundr-..." Looking over his shoulder to where Gaara is a good sprint behind him, he turns and smiles at the approaching male. "I heard a little voice in my head," He falls into step with the passing red head. "was that _you_?" Grabbing his hand, he smooches Gaara's forhead, right on the bubbled 'Love' scar that resides there.

Gaara says nothing to this, just continues walking along; happier with a hand in his own, and he looks up into the sky.

Looking over at the male, Lee couldn't help but grin at him. He can remember a time when Gaara wasn't trusting enough of his connections with people to just let his guard down, and daydream at the sky. It made sense to Lee, even if it frustrated him some of the time. But people are emotional beings, they hold grudges; he grew up having doors slammed in his face and weapons or rocks thrown. One mistrust of a person's character could have Kage's throat slit in a heartbeat.

Gaara imagined that Lee held the biggest grudge of all, and he could have. Not only can he not do ninjitsu techniques like the others, he would have lost his only merit of taijutsu as well. While he went into recovery from that, all he could think about was how could someone be that cruel? And that the red head must have suffered terrible hardships to have gotten to be that monster. Which is why when he found Gaara out in that field battling Kimimaro, he knew it was his chance! Not only to help his friends who were trying to save Sasuke, but to show Gaara that he hadn't broken him.

Monsters need to know that in order to get better of their bad habits. If you don't stoke their violent fire with your misery, they'll see its time for a change. And thanks to everyone, that change is very well made.

Friendship is one thing, but romantically... Boy, that took some getting used to for the red head _and_ for Lee. He's never had a girlfriend, and having thoughts like "what if he and Neji weren't just having a simple lunch" doesn't exactly count as having a boyfriend. And Gaara's never had anything. But learning has been an awkward, and fun ride that he'd gladly repeat if need be because the end result of unending affection- returned- was worth every added mental scar- that includes the direct proposal of "I think its time you've thought about staying here perminantly." from Gaara.

But, inspite of this pleasent walk, Lee would really like to do a little more personal training. Gotta stay sharp, one step ahead of everyone, including his beloved. Side-eyeing him again, he sees Gaara looking back with an unreadable expression.

"Are you enjoying the walk?" He asks, looking away.

"Very much! Nothing I love more than the discipline of keeping the pace with travelling companions. Its a good way to hone terrain observance."

"I suppose it is."

Gaara seemed to be putting some truth behind the comment, looking down at the grass he isn't currently crushing beneath his path. He spies a spiders web stretched out across a weed and a few blades of grass. He's never known spiders to make webs low to the ground. He remembers Shino saying something to him once about spiders, and how their webbing is only sticky horizantally, but vertically its smooth silt so they can cross it to their trapped prey and not get stuck themselves. Shino, to Gaara, is like that. He approaches you, and says strange things. He's really got everyone in an organized box, with organized words about them to just gather and know.

"What kind of tea are you getting? I might want something to cool me off from the warmth in the air." Lee's pace-observing large eyes are still looking from here to there, as he asks questions. "I'm thinking bubble tea to beat the heat."

"White."

"Excellent choice, although black is better for oxidization..." He paused wondering if that were even a word, but shook it off with lack of care. Gaara knows what he's getting at.

"Where're the health benefits in bubble tea?"

"Not sure, I just really want something sweet cool." He laughed heartily.

The two walk in a comfortable silence once more, but Lee's twitchiness to move is beginning to creep out of him with every whirl of the kunai.

"What's today's challenge?" Gaara asks.

Enthusiasm bursting; he gets a firmer grip on the kunai before getting into his explanation. "I toss the kunai high into the air, then set a number of backflips for myself to do before it hits the ground. This'll increase my speed in battle when opponents are shooting weapons at me."

"Aa."

"So far, I have to do eighty..." He glances down at the male.

Releasing Lee's hand; a smile ghosts across his lips when the male grabs him in a sideways hold, lifting him from the ground in a vice-like hug before planting a kiss to his cheek then setting him down.

"Thanks Gaara!" He hurls the kunai into the air then pauses before starting the challenge. "You're welcome to do it as well? Training doesn't have to be a solitary thing."

"My speed is no match for yours physically. However..." He kneels.

The distinct sound of his gourd uncorcking itself sounds, and a rumble of sand rolls free from the massive hourglass on his love's back.

"I can use my sand for speed practice."

Hands on his hips, he nods. "You can at that. Gaara," Finger to the sky. "let's go all the way!" Looking out into the field, he started for the kunai but paused when a snake of sand picked up the weapon and hurled it to him. "Excellent. On my mark... Get set... Go!"

Hurling it into the air, he procedes in his backflips, and Gaara bends his sand in a thin trail beside Lee's path.

It went on like this until they reached the little tea house.

...

Gaara took a couple sips from his tea cup then set it down on the little saucer, that gave an audible _klink_. "I see why you wanted cold tea in Spring."

Chuckling, Lee lifts his drink to take down a couple big gulps before passing the remaining half to Gaara. "Here, you can take the rest." Lifting a toothpick, he chomps into the preserved kumquats that were brought to them by the waitress. Swallowing the fruit, he then says. "If you can manipulate your sand to move faster, then you can train yourself as well. Someday you'll even rival me, if you really work at it."

Gaara looks at Lee, sparingly, while sipping from the long plastic blue straw. "What if I dissolve into sand and move along with it?"

Cocking his large brow, Lee looks like he might laugh or become consumed with jealousy. "Well, now you're just showing off." Popping a few more kumquats into his mouth; he steals Gaara's white tea over to his side of the table, and blows it off before taking some swigs. "I'm gonna write Gai-sensei again, once we get back to Suna." He says off-handedly when seeing a messenger hawk show up for an elderly man seated beside their table.

"Have you found time between writing letters to study on Sunagakure's history?" Gaara wants to make sure his future 'precious person' passes the instating test with flying colors.

Living in separate villages was not going to fly with the Kazekage for very long. Though the native Leaf-nin will never give up his existance in Konaha- nor is Gaara trying to make him- until he steps down as Kazekage, these rules have been laid out heavily, and sincerely. If he is to wed Gaara, he must be a member of the village. To pledge his allegiance and loyalty to not only Gaara but the entire village of Sand.

"Of course! I know nearly the entire front and middle of the book by heart!" He then adds through a lighthearted snicker. "Its a wonder its not a bestseller."

Gaara starts to say something, but is cut off before a word even came out by a man dressed from head-to-toe, and sporting an odd pair of goggles. This man makes special deliveries to nation leaders and other important dieties. Naruto once told him a story about himself and Jiraiya-sama, of how they tried to stop one from dropping off one of the Sage's dirty manuscripts that he'd accidentally sent out. It sounded completely fabricated, as do a lot of Naruto's whacky adventures, but he listened intently to the tale.

No.97 walked over to their table, and knelt before him. "Kazekage-sama, a letter from Amegakure."

"Rain?" Lee respectfully kept himself from leaning forward to see the letter's contents, and waits patiently for Gaara to tell him- if he planned to tell him. Gaara never gets into heavy details about work.

The Kazekage's moss green irises skim the paper carefully, then he refolds the letter and stuffs it into its packaging. "Thank you."

"Would you like me to send a messege in return, Kazekage-sama?"

Gaara held out his hand for the offer of pen and paper. Scribbling a note in his tiny handwritting- that Lee pitied anyone's reason, who has to read it- the village leader hands the letter over to the postman, knowing it'll arrive to its destination without fail.

"News from the Summit?"

"No. Two of my men were captured before the war during a conjoined mission, and have been imprisoned in Rain since it had started." Standing from the table, he moves to the exit. "Now that the fighting is over, they were able to send me a messege to retrieve them."

Confused, Lee asks. "Why not just release them? I thought the countries were on better terms?"

"Getting there. Besides that, these men could actually be assassins." Hoisting his gourd onto his back, he continues speaking. "Letting them go just because they ask for me, could be fatal. So I have to identify them as mine, then we can go."

"Simple distraction. Then we can get back to resting?"

"Yes."

Lee exits after Gaara, whistling a tune. It will be a good distraction from resting- not that he was with all the training he's been assigning himself- but that's what rest is to Lee. If you're not battling, you're self-improving.

Konoha. In an apartment complex, room 105.

Hyuuga Neji is sitting on the long wrap-around porch of the old style building. Old-style meaning you have to heat the water yourself. Eyes closed; he counts slowly to seven then let out a steadying sigh. The reason for this is the pounding feet of Maito Gai, making his way towards his humble doorstep amongst the flat of rooms. Eight sets of building surrounded by a zen-gate, stacked no higher than two is where most ninja reside until their neck-of-the-woods has been restored.

Gai is coming over for the usual reason he comes over whenever the mail comes, and its carrying a letter from Lee. Watch. When the large door of the gated community slides over, Gai will walk in; beaming ear to ear with a play-by-play of the note that, and get this, he has the triplet of!

The nut doesn't even care if you show him the copy, because he'll gladly point out a slight difference in the cloned note: a looped letter, a slight smudge from Lee's hand brushing through the wet ink- _anything_!

Its happened so frequently that Neji's learned to wait outside, seated on the porch, for his former sensei; lest there be a repeat of incident 3 when Gai took it upon himself to waltz into his bathroom. Something like that is grounds for mental and physical preparation to avoid a second coming.

"Neji!" The jounin mouthed along with the man. "I bring news from our Lee's adventures of bodyguarding at the summit and in the Sand!"

See. He's done it that many times, in the exact same way, with the exact same words. But he's got a plan.

"I was about to leave," He stands from his seat. "my team is doing a mercenary mission today. I can't be held up for that."

"Then we'll walk together, and I'll tell you on the way."

"I've already read it, Gai."

"Ha ha!" Clearing the distance, he claps him on the back. "Your byakugan is as sharp as ever!" Pettering off, he holds his chin contemplatively. "Although I didn't know that you could read from that far away with it... Amazing!"

"I have my own copy, Gai. I'd show it to you but, as I said, I'm busy."

"Right. Duties first." He nods. "I'll just have to invite you to dinner, and we can talk then."

"Right." 'Right' meaning, he hoped someone would distracted the man so he forgets.

Leaving the cheerful man behind him, he walks slowly around the village looking for something to do. With construction still going on, there's plenty to keep him out of harms way for the day. He didn't have a mission to oversee, and he didn't want to lie to Gai... but the utter madness to unintentionally be treated like you've been left out of something because of a bond close enough to spread mimickery, can be strength sapping.

He had to wonder if Lee were always like that, or changed after Gai got his optimistic, look-on-the-bright-side, hands on him? Neji smiled, a small smile. That question was gonna bug him for minutes.

Looking on ahead, he spots a familiar backside and heads over to where he's traipsing. Latching a hand onto a strand of the braided belt that's poking up in the air, he keeps him from walking into a stack of wooden planks.

"Lunch? Or lost?" Its not the first time he's seen Sasuke's new state-of-being learning humility as he gets around the large construction site of a village.

Sasuke paused on the question, then spoke. "Both."

"This way. They're doing district E right now, but A through D are finished. We'll go there."

Giving a nod, Sasuke follows Neji's massive chakra through the haze of flimsy streams that are the villagers, mixed with shinobis'.

"I thought you'd agreed to one of Pakkun's companions to help you around until construction is complete in certain places?"

"Its enough that I'm blind, but I have to be subjected to one of those surly chatting mutts of his?"

_'Point taken.'_ He thinks, recalling his own narrow escape.

"It must be strange being back, with the village as it is..." Neji goes on as they take a corner. "We'd always thought" To a point, he did after all make it into the Bingo Book. "that when you returned, you'd have something to return to... It doesn't seem that anyone does now."

"Its better this way," They take another corner.

He remembered Gaara talking about darkness when they'd battled- well, when Gaara defended against his battling, the jinchuriki only wanted to talk on Naruto's behalf. My how people change. But he'd made a valid point.

"I was in the dark about everything the village is and was... What was done to my brother, and what he'd done and why... By the time this civilization returns to its former existance, I will be a new man, just as it will be a new village."

Neji thought that was a wise way of thinking. Once Tsunade fully recovers she's going to do surgery on Sasuke's eyes to restore his vision. He'll be a new man, in a new village. Hmm. Moving the sho pname's sign aside, he asks. "Do you still wish to become the Hokage?"

"I'll fight Naruto tooth and nail." But he said it, with a smile and joined Neji in the restaurant.

...

"Sasuke," Neji begins after ordering a bowl of squid ink noodles. "I've been wondering about what happened to Taka?"

"Juugo returned to sound with Orochimaru. He's going out for Hokage; I'm not sure why he'd want to be by his side, but I wasn't going to stop him." A slurp of spicy noodles is taken down, and after swallowing he continues. "Suigetsu decided to stay with me." He looks out the window. "He's in the former Uchiha district, staying in the catacombs." Returning his attention to his meal, he stirs the chopsticks through the bowl. Scoffing, he adds. "He thinks he's gonna get locked up the minute the Hokage is decided."

"Interesting."

"I told him I wouldn't arrest him, but he's adamant with staying out of view."

The 2 eat in silence, then Neji brings up another topic that's garnered his attention.

"I was only expanding my byakugan... but for three mornings now, I've seen you leaving Naruto's apartment..." He left the comment open ended.

"Our heated debate over being Hokage tends to get a little out of hand."

For some reason Neji thought that was a lie. Oh sure, the two rib each other about that from time to time, but spending the night seemed a bit deeper than arguing about life goals. Shikamaru brought it to his attention in a joke.

"Hn," He'd intoned when spotting the two bickering over a hammer. "practically brothers, then one-sided enemies, what next? Dating in secret?" He stuffed his hands into his pockets as ready to walk away from the thought that was stopping to talk to him. "Screwing around the most." And he took his leave, leaving a curious Neji behind.

"And what about Kakashi? You think he'll just step down?"

"He was chosen from necessity of war. He'll step down."

"Old man, fill me up two bowls of barbecue ribs ramen, to go- oh!" Spotting the two, his ordering changes, "Hey Neji..." In mock anger, he sneers out. "Sasuke." Brightening, he joins them at their table, giving the Uchiha a hard bump over with his hip. "What are we talking about?" He asks while peering into their bowls.

Naruto's lack of change has become the village breath. They've all got little stains, cracks, and chips in their armor from the fallout of war. Neji most of all. When you've been to the other-side, it's not something you generally forget.

Whomever said death is warm and light has obviously never been there. Death is nothing. You grow cold. You become dark. Then you are nothing. He'd opened his eyes into the living world to Lee's big excitement, crying over him, hugging him close. And during that hug, when his head turned, he saw Gai's ruined body laying next to him. He was confused even after everything was explained. And he still has nasty scars in nearly perfect circles as a constant reminder that life is too short.

Naruto's slurping brought him back from his thoughts. "Aaaa... filler up!" He sets the empty bowl down then reaches for the second one he'd ordered.

Smiling, the owner pats the blond on the back. "Anything for you, hero; I'll put in an extra egg and riblette."

"Thanks, old man." He grins in return.

"I was there too, and no one's giving me extra food." Sasuke comments insincerely.

"Free stuff is for good-looking guys." He pokes Sasuke in the cheek.

"So then why are you getting it?" He snipped back.

Secretly smirking at how obvious it is now, that the two are together. Neji distracts their verbal love-fest. "What area are you working on?"

"This one, its why I stopped in to eat." He winks an eye, while the other rolls throughfully to the ceiling. "I think its aaaaa... pet store." Thumbing towards the window, he adds. "Kiba's really getting on my nerves over the layout. I was gonna bring him lunch, but then I saw you two." Cheekily he adds. "Guess he'll just have to wait while I pig out." Lifting bowl number two, he gulps down the rich beefy broth. "What about you two?"

"I'll be working on the library and stationary store." Replies the reborn.

"I'm going to get another check up after I eat. Ocular surgary apperantly has a lot of conditions that go along with it." He grits his teeth. "And I'm not so blind that I can't tell you're sticking your tongue out at me, Naruto."

"You should have gone blind ages ago," He teased while slipping around the table to Neji's side. "picking on you is a lot more fun this way."

"Here's your order." The owner sets the bowls down, then leaves for the counter returning with a small bag of two noodle cups to go.

"Thank you." Eyeing the unasked for bag, he then recalls why he'd stopped in. "I gotta go." He dumped one bowl of noodles in with the other, and put on a horror show of taking it down like Chouji.

Something like that made Neji wish his vision was gone as well.

"Aaaa," He voiced his affection for the meal. "Bye guys, see you around. Good luck with your eye thing, Sasuke." He bid to him sincerely.

Gathering his previous order, he rushes out the door to the work-in-progress of a pet store.

9 9 9

Somewhere between Tea and Rain, Rock Lee and Gaara have set up their sleeping bags and tent. A roaring fire is crackling around a catch of red snapper, stuck through a stick; in the fire amongst the logs are wrapped sweet potatoes, lifting a nice aroma into the air over the stink of fish inards dripping from the aquatic creature's mouth.

"Rasengan shuriken!" Lee called into the open field.

Palm held out like he's seen from Naruto; he then provides his own sound effects of what the technique sounds like.

"Aaa!" He wrenched in pain falling over, when an invisible blast came his way. "You're good... But I'm better!" He declared to no one.

Gaara glanced over from his attention to the food, offering Lee's antics a smile. He does this sort of thing sometimes, just plays 'pretend' with techniques. He of course being the ultimate Sage of the world, he can use all elements, Fuuinjutsu for sealing, Seinjutsu- since he's a Sage, Kekkei genkai because nothing says ultimate warrior like something that only your bloodline can do, and if he feels the need Genjutsu.

Straightening, he holds out a hand; a serious expression on his face. "Sabaku"

Quirking an ear, he looks over to the ninja master and leant him a special effect.

"Sabaku no yashi!"

"Hando." Corrects the sand-nin.

Taken aback, he asks. "Really? That simple?" Regaining his composure as a roughian, he says with more passion. "Sabaku handoooo!"

Two large hands made of condensed sand sprang up from the grass; Gaara provided the pretender with a sand clone shaped like any run-of-the-mill villain. The attack crushed the clone ultimately ending his life.

Lee gave a hefty laugh, posing with his fist against his hips, and his head tilted back. "Thanks, Gaara." He said, dropping his charade. Taking a few quick whiffs of the aromas in the air, he practically skips over to the glow in the night. "Are the fish ready?"

Reaching for a stick, he hands it off to Lee, then takes one for himself.

"Are you ever worried your sand will be heated to glass, if a fire attack were aimed at you?"

Gaara's chopsticks paused before his mouth, thinking about the question. "I don't think my chakra would allow that to happen. Its mixed in with the sand, afterall."

"Mm."

Eating in silence, they listen to the nightlife make noise for them. Bugs chirping for meals or sex, water nearby giving out a quiet rustle, that warm breeze swishing over the other sounds. The fire is a nice touch, snapping and humming before them.

Lee basked in the serene moment by looking at the sky, out at the field of darkened green, then over at Gaara. Smiling, he scoots a lot closer to him than a couple butts away. Gaara turned his eyes at the approach, but continued eating his dinner then returned to watching the sweet potatoes still engulfed in flames.

"You know," Lee began. "I like it when you're quiet."

"Are you saying you prefer I don't speak?"

"No. I just like the way you do quiet- like you're taking it all in." He nods to affirm his thoughts. "Are you taking it all in?"

"Yes."

"..." Smiling, he nudges him, then asks. "Am I being taken in?"

"Yes."

"What do think?" He's curious to know.

He himself has never thought too deeply, he had once but that was a very bleak time in his life. He'd run from the hospital, not from fear of the opperation, but fear of the end result that he would no longer be a shinobi. After all his hard work, all his dreams of showing the world of ninjas his place among it. But after a talk, and a much needed cry, with Gai-sensei, he realized to never doubt himself or think to deeply again.

"Why do you do that?" He asks, staying on subject in his own way. "What you were doing just now... Why do it?"

"Hmm.." A thoughtful hum, his method of thinking.

"You do it often enough. Why?"

"Can't you tell?"

Gaara shakes his head; leaning forward with a stick in hand, he pokes the potatoes free from the fire. The grey balls roll over onto the soft earth, where they're left to cool down a bit. Lee reached for a potato, and began to rapidly blow it off so he can begin eating.

"Ow, ow..." He peels the wrapping from it. "Sometimes I dream about having ninjitsu. I know I'll be a wind-type but... I wonder what kinds of amazing things I could do if I were able to use my chakra too." He takes a bite of potato, blowing the heat from his mouth around it before continuing to chew. "Don't you have dreams?"

A faint smile came across his face, and he answered very softly. "I think I've realized all of mine... Or, I'm at least beginning to."

"Mm. All I can do is pretend- its fun though." Grinning, he then chomps into the crispy side of his fish. "I can be as powerful as I want, or as weak as I want."

"I hope you aren't yourself when you're weak," He looks over at his thoughtful lover. "You're one of the strongest people I know. Your spirit won't back down no matter where you direct it... Its beautiful, and frightening."

Gaara reaches for a potato, staring pensively at the fire's orange glow playing off the gray wrapping.

"There were always times when I felt like giving up, and sometimes I wished I had... But, bad persistance only makes _you_ stronger, it seems. Something like that is stronger than all the ninjitsu techniques in the world."

Wrapping his arms around him from the side, he smooches the maker of those kind words. "Thanks Gaara... Sometimes, I need to be reminded of things like that." He looks out into the open field of grass. "Maybe just... one more attack." He holds up an innocent finger in plead.

"Okay."

"Sabaku... Souso!"

Lee chuckled merrily when a blast of sand flew through the air displaying the attack; assalting Gaara's cheek with peck after peck; he then leans over past the red head to take a bite from his potato.

"Gaara?" He continues kissing his cheek.

"Mm?" He turns his head, so those kisses land in a better place.

"Do you think mother-nature would care if weeee... slept naked in our bags?"

More deadpanned than usual, Gaara shakes his head to the question; a lecherous smile on his face. "We can do a little better than that." He reached for the zipper of Lee's flak jacket, pulling it down before pouncing on him.

And mother-nature listened while Lee had a momentary resistance of keeping on his form-fitting unitard, then of the rustling of clothing, before the conjoining of skin-on-skin shadowed across the back of the field that's an otherwise dark sea of grass before them, every sigh and combustable pant from their enjoyment.

Lee held the naked red head close to his own bare form; the fire had been put out, and the tents occupied by them in a single sleeping bag; his is still rolled up in his backpack. Sighing in contemplation, he nuzzles his nose against Gaara's temple. He understood what Gaara was saying about his having emense inner strength. But sometimes, he'd like some of the outer strength too.

Raising his bandaged hand up to the side of his mouth, aiming the imaginary attack at the canopy of the tent, he proceeds. "Katon..." Its a mere whispered into the still of the tent. "Ryuka no jutsu."

He offered a secret smile to the flaming dragon, his arm, roaming through the air. His large eyes settle on the drifting limb, wrapped in bandages first to assist in battle and second to cover the many many scars that training, and battles have left upon them. But none deeper than the centipede-style injury created by Gaara's sand to his left leg and arm. He doesn't hold a grudge, its not his style. But he does wonder if it would have turned out that way, if he weren't just a man.


End file.
